Certainly, it is not easy to show up and carry the flag for a certain set of ideas that may not be popular with a certain audience, but the exchange of ideas between groups that do not necessarily agree with you is important to the functioning of a healthy democratic republic.

As to the success of the Rio Grande Foundation in getting its ideas out in the local media, I think Ortiz y Pino has his finger on something important. The fact is that principled fiscal conservatives have long been underrepresented in the political scene. Chambers of commerce represent business interests which often support corporate welfare. We do not. The tea party phenomenon, while belittled by many on the left, represents a genuine outpouring of concern over our nation’s economic future and indebtedness.

My only major complaint with Ortiz y Pino is that he refuses to accept that there is a genuine difference of opinion on the issues. There is always an ulterior (financial) motive. The truth is that Michaels and I work for nonprofits and do the work that we do because we believe that free markets and limited government—not top-down government controls—are better.

Paul J. GessingPresident Rio Grande Foundation

Fascist Parallels

Dear Alibi,

Blowhards like Sean Hannity, Michele "Hypocrite" Bachmann and Newt Gingrich all talk about how they wish to take America back. To what? They never say they want to return to the New Deal or to the 90 percent top tax rates of the ’50s. So, they must mean the Gilded Era of sweatshop labor and segregation.

They also talk about American exceptionalism, misquoting de Tocqueville's observation about how America differed at the particular period: a nation that emerged from revolution yet created a government framework different from the established concepts in Britain and mainland Europe—monarchies or local feudal and economic power among nobility. It had nothing to do with cartoon jingoism about exemption from history or Law of Nations.

In reality, the U.S. is now like both the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany in many respects: 1) Heavy militarism, jingoism—both Germany and Soviet Union. 2) Mass resources dedicated to foreign adventures and spreading influence—comparable to Soviets in Africa, Latin America, Asia and Afghanistan. Now, it is spreading "democracy" abroad. 3) Blaming society's problems on "others"—similar to Germany. The right blames Acorn, SEIU, Soros, gays and the Community Reinvestment Act for the nation's problems just as Germany blamed Jews and other ethnic minorities for the nation's woes following WWI. The Soviet Union in the waning days blamed the youth, just like right also blames college students for voting for "socialism." 4) Decaying domestic economy and infrastructure—similar to the Soviet Union; all resources dedicated to communism abroad, just as America now ensures that other nations have roads and schools while neglecting American roads and schools. 5) Giving business elites the upper hand and weakening unions—Nazi Germany targeted labor as socialists and Jewish subversives, shut down unions and worked hand in glove with industrialists like Krupp and IG Farben. The U.S. has allowed big business to outsource or hire illegal immigrants (while paying lip service to immigration control) in order to break the back of labor and force Americans to live as feudal serfs. The sooner we listen to Ron Paul and Dennis Kucinich and move away from Hannity and Bachmann, the better of the nation will be.

Ron McPhee

Schrader’s Reasons Not to Smoke

Dear Alibi,

I would not smoke cigarettes for all the money in the world! I have had many friends who smoke and I love them, but no one on earth hates cigarettes more than I!

Why would I pay the cigarette companies to kill me? Why pay those filthy rich, lying corporations to age us early and to destroy our health? Does it look cool and tough to smoke when you are slowly committing suicide? If you want to kill yourself, there are quicker, cheaper, less agonizing ways to do it.

If you do not give a damn about your own body, do you want your family to suffer because of breathing your smoke? Do you want your children to follow your example and become hooked on cigarettes? Cigarettes are as addicting as heroin and cocaine.

Hot sex for both men and women requires good blood circulation to the genitals. Cigarettes damage the heart and blood vessels.

Cigarettes lower the sex hormone testosterone, causing men to be less horny, less able to get firm erections, less likely to orgasm readily.

If a healthy man and I are strongly attracted to each other and we make love, I want to swallow his manly essence—his cum. Sadly a smoker’s cum is contaminated with many poisons—no matter how sexy he looks. The smoke of one cigarette contains 4,700 different chemical compounds, 43 of those are proven to cause cancer.

To conquer cigarette craving, eat onlyrawplant foods, especially fresh greens—collards, kale and quelites. Raw plant foods sensitize our body to what is good for it and what is bad for it.

Feeling stressed? Take deep breaths, go for a walk in nature or enjoy a short siesta.

We all have a reservoir of stubbornness—a powerful energy we can use to bless us or to curse us. If you smoke, use your stubborn energy to stop smoking! Fall in love with becoming healthy and feeling fine!

When stopping smoking or any bad habit, substitute a greater pleasure, something that helps yourself and others instead of harms.

Don Schrader

Bosque Lament

Dear Alibi,

[Re: Blog, “The Bosque is closed,” June 29] They shouldn't close the trail for everyone. There are many of us who ride our bikes on that trail and use it for jogging. You should be allowed to be on it as long as you're not doing anything fishy. People like myself use it for nothing else but exercise and now we can't. It's really unfortunate. If you're out there on a bike or in jogging gear, you shouldn't be fined. Check my CamelBak, it's full of the opposite of fireworks—it's filled with WATER. This is the best time to use the trail and now we can't.

StefanComment from alibi.com

The Face of Homelessness

Dear Alibi,

[Re: Feature, “Lost and Found,” June 30-July 6] Thank you Ms. Doyle for your efforts in discussing the issue of homeless children in this state. It is not an easy topic to filter down to a few hundred words, but I think you did an amazing job. Families who are homeless are certainly faceless and nameless to many. However as you stated correctly, the "face" of homelessness is no longer majority men, it has dramatically shifted to women and children. Kudos for Cuidando los Niños to tackle this and do so successfully. We shall see the measure of our society's worth by supporting such organizations. Great job!

bushbabyComment from alibi.com

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